Stephen F. Austin State University (commonly SFA) is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding father, Thomas Jefferson Rusk.
Stephen F. Austin is one of four "independent" public universities in Texas (i.e., those not affiliated with one of Texas' six university systems). Coordinates: 31°37′17″N 94°38′57″W / 31.62139°N 94.64917°W / 31.62139; -94.64917
Academics
Stephen F. Austin offers more than 120 areas of study, including more than 80 undergraduate majors, nearly 60 graduate degrees, and three doctoral programs. Stephen F. Austin offers classes through six colleges and houses one of only two schools of forestry in the State of Texas. It is the only forestry college in the timber-producing East Texas region.
During the 2007-08 academic year, there were 1,732 degrees awarded. Of those degrees, 1,416 (82%) were undergraduate, 301 were post-graduate (17%), and 15 (1%) were doctoral.
In addition to the main campus, the university maintains a 642-acre (2.60 km2) agricultural research center for beef, poultry, and swine production and an equine center; an observatory for astronomy research, an 18.7-acre (76,000 m2) experimental forest in southwestern Nacogdoches County and a 25.3-acre (102,000 m2) forestry field station on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Since 2007, Stephen F. Austin has served as the headquarters of the Association for Business Communication.
Presidents
The main entrance to Stephen F. Austin State University
- Alton W. Birdwell (1923-1941)
- Paul Boynton (1942-1958)
- Ralph W. Steen (1958-1976)
- William R. Johnson (1976-1990)
- Donald Bowen (1990-1991)
- William J. Brophy (1991-1992) (interim)
- Dan Angel (1992-1999)
- Roland Smith (1999-2001) (interim)
- Tito Guerrero (2001-2006)
- Baker Pattillo, Ph.D. (2006-present)
Athletics
Stephen F. Austin's color is purple, with red sometimes used as an accent color. In tribute to the forest industry, which is a major component of the area's economy, the men's athletic teams are called Lumberjacks, and women's teams are known as Ladyjacks. ALl of SFA's athletic teams participate in the Southland Conference which hosts teams from the states of Texas, Louisiana, & Arkansas.
Men's NCAA Sports:
Women's NCAA Sports
- The Stephen F. Austin Large Coed Cheerleading Squad is a nine-time National Cheerleading Association Collegiate National Champions. The Large Coed team has won 5 straight National Titles. The Large Coed team competes in the NCA Collegiate National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida every April.
- The Stephen F. Austin Small Coed Cheerleading Squad was founded in 2006. In July 2007, SFA Small Coed won a partial paid bid to the NCA Collegiate National Championships. In their first year, SFA Small placed 9th among other D1 Small Coed teams including University of Louisville, Oklahoma State University, Southern Methodist University and Florida International University. The Small Coed team competed in the 2008 NCA Collegiate National Championship in Florida.
Stephen F. Austin sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision—formerly I-AA—for football) in the Southland Conference. SFA's football team earned a berth into the FCS playoffs in 2009, which was long awaited by students & fans. Before then, SFA football had not seen a FCS Playoff game since 1995.
Traditions
- At home football games, large signs and banners representing campus fraternities, sororities, and student organizations adorn the grassy hills that surround Homer Bryce Stadium.
- The annual Parents Day is now in its 32nd year. This is one of the largest student run programs on the campus of SFA. Parents, friends and family members of students visit the campus every fall for a day of activities and school spirit. Parents Day is sponsored by the Residence Hall Association in conjunction with the Housing and Residence Life Departments.
- The University's main rivals are Sam Houston State University and Northwestern State University.
- Since 1960, a seven-foot, six-inch statue of an Indian named "Chief Caddo" was carved as a trophy between SFA and Northwestern State University (both schools are located in towns named for a branch of the Caddo tribe). The winner of the football game between these two schools maintains possession of the statue. Chief Caddo is the largest trophy in college football. SFA is currently in possession of Chief Caddo, after defeating Northwestern State in November 2009.
- Every year at Homecoming a bonfire is lit. The bonfire is built and lit by members of Alpha Phi Omega. Preceding the lighting of the bonfire, a "Torchlight Parade" is held where students walk through campus with flashlights to the Homecoming Pep Rally.
- In addition to the Bonfire - The Student Activities Association hosts a Burn Shirt where other University gear can be traded in for an SFA Shirt and the other universities' shirts are burned on the Bonfire.
- Purple Haze: The student fan section. Each member wears a Purple Haze t-shirt with the school song written on the back. The Purple Haze Section is 1 of 2 university clubs that has a section reserved (The Delta Sig Sawyers are the other). The bleachers have been painted and stenciled for the group by the Athletic Department of SFA.
- At home baseball games the students in the outfield throw back opposing teams' home runs.
- The Delta Sig Sawyers (the oldest fraternity on campus; est 1927) were the first group to have a reserved section in the stands at football games, which was requested by Homer Bryce (whom the stadium is named after). They can be seen in the stands with their axe handles. The Purple Haze latered copied the idea of the axe handle in 2002.
- The "Axe 'Em Jacks" slogan has existed since the creation of the Lumberjacks mascot. But the now-popular hand signal utilized by SFA fans is quite new. During Spring Break 1978 in South Padre Island, a group of Alpha Chi Omega sorority girls noticed that other Texas colleges has hand signals specific to their schools ("Hook 'Em Horns" for the University of Texas, for instance.) As a response, freshman student 'Marcia' suggested the two-fingered salute to a male cheerleader ('Monty') who later spread the hand gesture to fans once games resumed.
- Also in the summer semester The Student Government Association host their annual Watermelon Bash, all deans along with the university President gather in the center of campus and cut watermelon to pass to students.
Notable alumni
Notable individuals who either attended or graduated from SFASU:
- Derrick Blaylock, National Football League running back (New York Jets)
- Kim Brimer, Texas State Senator, District 10
- Larry Centers, National Football League retired fullback
- Nelson Clyde, III, late publisher of the Tyler Morning Telegraph
- Spike Dykes, former head football coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Todd Hammel, Arena Football League quarterback for 14 years
- Kevin Hannan, ethnolinguist
- Paul Howe, U.S. Army SF-Delta Operator, who fought in Mogadishu, Somalia
- Will Jennings, Grammy (1982, 1986, 1993, & 1997), Golden Globe (1983, 1991, & 1997), and Academy Award-winning (1983 & 1997) songwriter; member, Songwriters Hall of Fame
- Joseph W. Kennedy, Co-Discoverer of Plutonium, 1917-1957
- Ronnie Laws, Musician, Member of Earth, Wind, and Fire
- Brad Maule, Daytime Emmy Award winning actor
- Mark Moseley, 1982 NFL MVP; played for Eagles (1970), Oilers (1971-1972), Redskins (1974-1986), and Browns (1986)
- Drew Nixon, former Republican state senator from Carthage
- Bill Owens, former Republican governor of Colorado
- Stephen Payne, International Relations and Energy Expert
- Bum Phillips, former National Football League head coach
- Mikhael Ricks, former National Football League tight end/wide receiver
- James Silas, American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association
- Jeremiah Trotter, National Football League middle linebacker (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Terrance Shaw, Retired National Football League defensive back (1995-2004) for several teams (2004)
- Don Henley, Musician, Singer, Songwriter, and Drummer for the Eagles (1971-1980, 1994-present)
- Frank Melton, former mayor, Jackson, MS, (March 19, 1949 – May 7, 2009)
Points of interest
Women's volleyball coach has won over 500 games with SFA.
References
External links
